San Francisco, CA, April 8 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, will enthrall discerning manga (graphic novel) fans as well as art and architecture aficionados with the release of PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ on April 16th. The new hardcover travel diary comprised of prose, sketches, and artwork by the famed creator of SLAM DUNK, REAL, and VAGABOND inspired by his encounter with the work of Catalan master architect Antoni Gaudí, is offered under the VIZ Signature imprint, and will carry an MSRP of $24.99 U.S/ $28.99 CAN.

PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ traces an inspiring journey to Spain by one of the world’s foremost manga artists where he became captivated by the work of Antoni Gaudí (1852 - 1926), the famous Spanish architect and leader of Catalan Modernism. Takehiko Inoue has long been obsessed with the architecture of Antoni Gaudí, andPEPITAis a travel memoir about Inoue’s travels to the Catalan region of Spain, the people he meets, and the stunning architecture he experiences. At the core of the journey is the massive Gaudí-designed, Sagrada Família, an iconic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Barcelona and a perennial news item as it remains under continual construction after more than a century of work.

“Takehiko Inoue uses the medium of the art book to explore the transcendental work of Gaudí in this beautiful edition that is half art book, half travel memoir, and all beauty,” says Nick Mamatas, editor. “Inoue’s signature hyper-realistic style shines as he contemplates Gaudi’s work and influence in a variety of drawings and photographs. Join one of the world’s greatest manga artists on his intimate journey to discover the passions Gaudi held for architecture, nature, religion, and his beloved Catalonia – it is sure to be enjoyed as much by manga fans as by architecture lovers!”

PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDI is the latest art book by the master creator to be published in North America by VIZ Media, which also released Inoue’s SUMI (INK) and WATER collections in 2008. Inoue is also the creator of one of the most popular manga of all time, SLAM DUNK (rated ‘T’ for Teens), which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and is published in North America by VIZ Media. He followed the success of that series with VAGABOND, a fictional account of the life of samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and REAL, a manga series about wheelchair basketball. VAGABOND (Rated ‘M’ for Mature) and REAL (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) are both also available from VIZ Media.

Takhiko Inoue is also the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the Media Arts Festival Award. In addition to his work on manga, Inoue has worked on several television commercials, created character designs for video games, and is the founder of a scholarship to foster Japanese basketball talent.

For more information on other Takehiko Inoue titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.